


Change

by sarahbritishness (orphan_account)



Category: Captain Planet and the Planeteers
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-22
Updated: 2009-12-22
Packaged: 2017-10-05 00:36:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/35811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/sarahbritishness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is the tale of Linka, and the slow change from a young Soviet girl to a Planteer-- and friend.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Change

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Nemeta](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nemeta/gifts).



It had difficult not to hate them, at first. They were her friends now,  
and Linka loved them desperately, but it had not always been so.

She had been a young girl from the Soviet Union, raised in a mining town with only the actions of her elders to guide her. Her father was  
a communist who raised to believe the teachings of their government, and anything Papa said was right. After all, he was the foreman and everyone listened to him. And if everyone listened to someone, that person had to be right. After all, so many people couldn't be wrong.

Her babushka told her stories from the war-stories of fear and hunger caused by the German troops, and how their leaders and the Siberian Winters saved them from Hitler and his Panzer troops, and warned her that to fall into the same trap of capitalist greed that brought Germany to its knees. Late at night, with the three of them sitting around the  
fire drinking hot Кофе, she would tell tales of Stalin, and his words  
that built their nation.

But the others were different. They would go out and buy things—little frivolities, really- and not think anything of it. That was what they were used to, and Linka did not begrudge them that. But until her leaders at the Kremlin said that the Soviets were a capitalistic people, she was not going to spend what little money her father sent her on toys.

Unfortunately, her ideals set her apart. Linka always politely declined Gi's attempts to get her to were cosmetics. Why change her appearance? She was fine the way she was, and hiding herself beneath paint would only make her family ashamed of her. What did she have to conceal, after all? Wasn't everyone equal? If so, then why paint yourself to look different, when it didn't really matter.

And Wheeler, with his attempts to take her shopping for 'normal' clothes was just infuriating. She was happy with what she had, and wasn't afraid to tell her so. Worse, when she was done being cold and Soviet and withdrawn, it hurt. She felt so alone, so detached from the other planeteers. Gai tried to talk to the girl, but Linka didn't want to burden anyone else; why bother, when no one really understood anyway. They couldn't understand; their differences were too great. Even if they wanted to-and Linka doubted that very much- there was no way to even begin to explain her way of life to them. And so she let well enough alone. She would be like the ice of Siberia, unrelenting and unchanging. After all, it had saved her people from the Germans, Maybe it could save her from herself.

But even ice can melt, when it is shown enough warmth.

The first change came after she had been about a year with the Planeteers. They were in Indonesia, fighting against Zarm and his minions. Linka had taken a heavy punch across the face, as she sought to overpower one of th mud creations. Their powers were combined, so she could not call on the power of her ring. The blow made her ears ring, and the right side of her face burn.

With the help of Captain Planet they had beaten the dark earth entity, and were headed back to Hope Island to report to Gai. Linka had slid into the tiny restroom on their craft, to examine the damage done in the battle.

It was nasty. She had a growing bruise across her cheeck, a bloodied lip, and-to her shame- there were tears welling in her eyes. She held a cool paper towel to her face, trying very hard not to sob. That would only make it worse.

There was a knock at the door a few moments later, and Linka jumped at the voice that follow. It was Gi, and she sounded concerned.

"Linka? Are you alright?"

The Soviet girl had to swallow a few times, trying to push the lump in her throat aside. "D..Da, I am alvight."

Something in her tome must have given her away, because Gi slowly opened the door. "Linka, what's…Oh, your face!" She ran over to inspect the damage, wincing in sympathy. "That must hurt. Let me get you some ice."

"Vhy? Ice vill not make it wanish."

"No, but it will make it…Linka, are you embarrassed?"

"I let a mud monster get the better of me." Linka's voice was quiet. "Captain Planet had to come rescue me."

"Yes, but you were up against a really powerful opponent! You did really well." Gi stood up, and reached into the tiny medicine chest over the sink. Inside was a travel sized make up kit, that Gi had packed a while ago. "Here. I know you don't like it, but let me help you."

The Asian girl gently applied a little foundation to Linka's fair skin, expertly masking the bruising with cosmetics-in colors that would flatter the older girl. By the time they had returned to Hope Island, there was no sign that the bruises had ever existed, and for that Linka was grateful beyond words. Gi helped Linka apply the make up every morning until the bruises had healed, and the Soviet found tat time relaxing. She enjoyed spending 'girl time' with Gi, more then she thought she would.

After that, Linka found herself changing. Not all at once, but it happened. She was more willing to go to movies with the others, on days when the earth didn't need them. She let Wheeler drag her shopping, and actually bought a few American style outfits. She even started listening to the political debates of Africa with Kwami, and developing her own opinions about how her world had been governed. She found herself leaning toward capitalism as a good system of government, but she could not begrudge her countrymen their communism.

But she was a Planeteer, and Linka knew that now. Her job was not to only help people of her ideology, but everyone who wanted to make the world a better place. And, with the help of her friends, I believe she did just that.

**Author's Note:**

> Кофе is a Russian term for coffee.


End file.
